In the southern part of Spearfish, South Dakota, (not far from the entrance to famed Spearfish Canyon) is a fantastic city park. Spearfish Creek flows along the backside of it. Picnic areas, a large playground, historic buildings and artifacts, and access to the Spearfish Recreation Path can all be found within the park.
The park borders the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery and is a wonderful place for a picnic either before or after visiting the quirky attraction (the fish hatchery is dog-friendly and free to visit). The City Park has a large picnic shelter as well as several tables near the creek.
After lunch, the girls were more than happy to inspect the creek and test out the water here and there. Other dogs played in the creek which ran along the western edge of the park. It seemed like a popular place to cool off.
A paved walking path followed the creek through the park. This was the Spearfish Recreation Path which stretches over 7 miles through town, ending in scenic Spearfish Canyon. The walking path was busy, but so was the entire park for that matter. The large playground in the middle seemed like a very popular destination.
The park was also home to several points of interest, one of which was the historic Kroll Meat House which was originally built in 1880. It is currently on the National Register of Historic Places.
The park continued across the street at the Indian Springs Waterfall and Gazebo. It's a beautiful pond and man-made waterfall built in a gorgeous place.
There were signs instructing visitors not to drink the water or play in the Indian Springs Pond. The girls still enjoyed gazing at the waterfall and watching the ducks splashing around. A charming gazebo and benches were located nearby providing a nice, relaxing place to sit and enjoy the scenery.
Also on display were antique grinding wheels from the 1883 Spearfish Flour Mill, which ran for 55 years. The large wheels were quite impressive.
The dogs seemed to enjoy this beautiful park. They liked playing in Spearfish Creek, watching the ducks, and looking for squirrels. There was a lot of room to sniff around and explore. It's a great place for a picnic, going for a walk, enjoying the creek, or just unwinding by the picturesque waterfall. The Spearfish City Park is perfect for both play and relaxation, all set in a lovely location.